Hand tool for fastening steel pail tops



s. M. JOHNSON. HAND TOOL FOR FASTENING STEEL PAIL TOPS.

APPLlCATlON FILED DEC. I0, 192].

1,4353%, Patented Nov. 1141,1922.

A TTOR/VEVS Patented Nov. 14, M9 22.

Pi i lflill ll f" SMITH MADISON E'QHNSON, OF MII'DDLEFIELD, UHIO.

HAND TOOL FOR FASYPEENENG STEEL PAIL TOPS.

Application filed December 10, 1921. Serial No. 521,483.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that- 1, SMITH M. Jonnson, a citizen of the United States, and a resident ofMiddlefield, in the county of Geauga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful 1m provements in Hand Tools for Fastening Steel Pail Tops, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in devices for fastening steel pail tops, and it consists substantially in the construction and arrangement herein described and claimed.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple hand tool by means of which the lugs of a pail cover can be crimped under one by one and the cover drawn down tight.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, reference be ing had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a perspective view showing the tool in use, I

Fig. 2 is a section showing the tool in a position corresponding to that of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section illustrating the first crimping action wherein the shortening up action of the swaging jaw first becomes evident, and

Fig. 4 is a section further illustrating the spring action of the tool and showing the crimping action completed.

As indicated above, the purpose of the invention is to provide a simple hand tool by means of which the lugs of steel pail covers can be rapidly crimped under into the sealing position one by one. Such lugs are commonly seen on white lead pails. Fig. 1 shows the cover 0 to have a circular flange 1 with a number (usually eight) lugs 2.

This cover is set upon the rim 3 of the pail P as shown in Fig. 2. A tubular gasket a fits between the flange and the rim. This gasket is normally round in cross section, but after the tool has exercised its function, becomes flattened, asshown in Fig. 4. Having fitted the cover in place, the tool 5 is applied as in Figs. 1 and 2.

The tool consists of a piece of spring steel of quite heavy construction. It is doubled upon itself to form a handle as shown. One end of the tool terminates in a right angled part or heel 6. The other end is beaten out to form a comparatively thin but broad swage jaw 7. Necessarily there is a space In commencing the crimping operation,

the operator bears down on the handle as in Fig. 3. Although the lug has barely commenced to bend, a shortening up of the distance d between the two parts of the tool is already noticeable. This shortening up occurs by virtue of the resiliency of the tool and the value of this function becomes fully apparent in Fig. 4:.

As the handle is worn down, the 7 carries the free end of the lug 2 under the rim 3, applying it neatly and tightly. By the time the position in Fig. 4: has been reached, the jaw 7 Will in turn have reached the under-most part of the rim or bead 3. The edge of the jaw, at approximately this time, becomes the fulcrum upon which the tool turns. The heel 6 moves over the top of the flange 1 and exerts a compressing action on the gasket 4t, fully compressing the same and producing a secure seal.

The operation of fastening a pail top with this tool is accomplished very rapidly. An operator soon becomes experienced in fitting the open end of the tool over the rim of a pail and pushing down until the tool is stopped by the side of the pail. The two main functions of the tool are to crimp the lug 2 under the rim 3 and at the same time draw the flange 1 down and compress the gasket 4. It is the inherent resiliency of the tool that contributes to the success of its operation.

I claim l. A one-piece hand tool for fastening steel pail covers having a jaw for crimping a lug on the cover under and a heel for engaging and drawing the flange of the cover down upon the rim of a pail.

2. A hand tool for fastening steel pail tops, having a heel to engage the side of the cover flange, and a jaw to engage the side of a lug, said tool being resilient to cause pulling down of the cover flange onto the rim of a pail by the heel while the jaw crimps the lug under the rim on a downward motion of the tool.

3. A hand tool for fastening steel pail tops, comprising a length of spring metal bent upon itself to form a handle, one end being formed into a heel to engage the side of a cover flange, the other end being adapted to engage the side of a lug, said heel and other end being spaced to enable fitting the tool over said flange.

4. A hand tool for fastening steel pail tops, consisting of a single piece of resilient metal, having one end bent at right angles to form a heel then bent upon itself to form a handle, the other end being spaced from the heel and flattened to provide a swaging J 5. A hand tool for fastening steel pail tops, consisting of a single piece of resilient metal bent at right angles at one end to form a heel to engage the side of a cover flange when the tool is applied thereto, a handle which consists of said metal being bent upon itself, and a flattened swaging jaw at the other end of said piece, spaced from the heel to admit the cover flange, the two parts of the tool gradually drawing up as the handle is pressed down, thereby causing the flange to be drawn down on a pail rim by the heel as the lug is crimped up under the rim by said jaw.

6. A one-piece hand tool for fastening steel pail covers having a substantially rigid heel to engage behind a cover flange to draw it down upon a pail rim as the tool is moved in the fastening operation, and a jaw of a resilient character adapted to engage an adjacent lug same time.

sMiTH MADISON JOHNSON.

and: bend itunder said rim at the 

